Saturday, April 11, 2009

Which First Line Is Best

For the last two or three times that Cody and I have gone to the used-book store, I have meandered through the sections, picking up books, only to read a few lines off the back and put them back down. Nothing was hitting my "I want" radar. It was like going to a buffet, and everything on the table looks good until you realize that every dish is seasoned with cilantro or vinegar, and nothing is going to taste right.

Yesterday, I had a breakthrough. It seemed I couldn't walk past a section or a shelf without finding a book I wanted. By happy coincidence, Cody experienced an equally speedy discovery of several new books, so he cut short our visit before I had acquired an armload.

Here's what I now proudly possess:

Jayne Ann Krentz, Sizzle and Burn: I've been steering clear of Krentz Arcane Society novels for a while now, not interested in their lighter side of paranormal romance, but right now, the lightness is actually rather appealing.

Lora Leigh, Coyote's Mate: I might be waiting a while to read this one, having recently finished Mercury's War in February, but I know I'll want to read it, so it was a good one to have on my shelf.

Talia Gryphon, Key to Conspiracy: I've never read Gryphon before, but her main character sounds like a strong female badass--always a plus. Unfortunately, as I was just studying the book, I realized this is really book two, the first being Key to Conflict. Darn it! I've got three other book twos on my shelf that I'm waiting to get a book one for before I read them.

William Gibson, Pattern Recognition: This book is far from my usual pick, being modern sci-fi, not fantasy (urban or epic), not horror, and not paranormal romance. I have a feeling that I'll really like getting outside my comfort genres on this one, though, if the first line is anything to go from: "Five hours' New York jet lag and Cayce Pollard wakes in Camden Town to the dire and ever-circling wolves of disrupting circadian rhythm." Cody and I did a "which first line is best" test of the books I purchased. This was my favorite. (Cody liked Leigh's: "Del-Ray Delgado, the Coyote Ghost, was alpha leader of the team of twenty-eight mercenary soldiers he had gathered around him from various parts of the Council's ranks." He thought this opener had the most potential. Krentz's "Burn, witch, burn" opening line was runner up. ... What, you don't play the Which Line Is Best game?)